


So Can We Kick The Covers Off? [It Gets Better]

by Dee_in_between



Series: Crybaby Verse [3]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Couch Cuddles, Daryl doesn't like doctors, Daryl gets a little fussy, Diapers, Doctors & Physicians, Fever, Infantilism, M/M, Morning Cuddles, Pacifier - Freeform, Pharyngitis, Rick worries, Shane is a good dad, Sickfic, bottle, positive reinforcement via lollipops and stickers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 13:09:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12482324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dee_in_between/pseuds/Dee_in_between
Summary: Daryl wakes up after a rough night feeling not quite like himself.





	So Can We Kick The Covers Off? [It Gets Better]

**Author's Note:**

> I've been working on this one for awhile and it's finally done! I'm still hard at work on the next chapter of Crybaby Crybaby but I now have a bunch of projects going. I hope to have new things up soon.

Daryl woke slowly, feeling warm and safe. Opening his eyes was a losing battle of slow blinks that lasted longer and longer each time. He couldn’t seem to focus. Vaguely, he could hear warm, sleep roughened voices talking over him. He couldn’t make out the words but he knew the voices regardless. Daryl gave a wide yawn and turned onto his belly, snuggling closer to the body nearest him. The rumble of a laugh could be felt beneath his cheek followed by the brush of fingers through his hair. 

“He just had a rough night. We all did.” Papa, Daryl’s slowly waking mind supplied. The night before had been a battle of nightmares for Daryl. They were less frequent these days but they still happened now and again.

“You’re probably right.” He could feel the words as they rumbled their way out which meant he was cuddled up with Daddy. “He feels a little warm though. We should keep an eye on it.”

“Don’t worry. I can handle things,” Shane reassured. 

“I know you can. I just feel bad leavin’ you with him if he’s sick.”

“But he’s not.” Shane reached out to rub his back, hoping to wake him gently. “It’s just the extra warmth from bein’ in bed with us. That’s all.”

Rick sighed, reluctantly agreeing. “Alright, alright. But you call me if anything happens.”

Daryl gave a wide yawn, fingers tangling in Rick’s shirt. “You goin’ now, Daddy,” he asked, looking up at Rick with tired, heavy lidded eyes.

Rick smiled softly and pressed his forehead to Daryl’s affectionately. “Yeah, bubba. They need me a little earlier than they thought. And you’ve been a sleepy head this morning. It’s already ten.”

Ten AM was definitely late for Daryl. Even before the center and their strict schedule he’d never been one to sleep in. You had to be up before the deer if you wanted to eat. He yawned again and forced himself to sit up. “M’sorry,” he said, rubbing at one eye. 

“No need for that,” Shane told him. He sat up and stretched before climbing out of the bed and turning back to Daryl, arms outstretched. “We all needed a little extra today. Now come on and we’ll get you changed.”

“M’okay,” he mumbled in his usual protest. 

“C’mon, Puppy,” Shane coaxed. “You need a change. And the easier you make it, the sooner we’ll be done and the sooner we can play.”

Daryl still fussed as Shane reached out and picked him up, clinging to his Papa's broad shoulders and pouting into his chest. They were across the hall and in the nursery with only a few strides and Shane laid him on the changing table. 

“Here ya go, bud,” he said, giving Daryl a soft smile and offering one of the now many pacifiers they had stashed around the house. This one had a puppy face on it. Rick liked having it in the nursery since it matched with Pupper and Daryl’s favorite pajamas.

Daryl opened his mouth willingly and let Shane slip it past his lips. He covered his face with Pupper as always, whining and squirming while Shane cleaned him up. 

 

“So what do we wanna do today,” Shane asked. He always tried keep Daryl talking. It helped Daryl to be distracted until the moment of unpleasantness passed and gave him something to look forward to. 

Daryl shook his head, already dozing off again under the blanket as his Papa taped him up and got him back in his PJs 

Shane leaned in and pressed a kiss to his forehead before picking him up again. “It’s a little late for breakfast at this point. How about we have an early lunch instead?” 

Daryl just shrugged. He wasn’t feeling too hungry. If anything, he felt a little...off. He was still sleepy and it was hard to focus on much of anything. He wasn’t sure if he could eat anything anyway. His throat was sore from the screaming last night. Shane carried him along, running his fingers through Daryl’s hair as the boy snuggled into his shoulder. Rick was already downstairs, fixing himself a mug of coffee when the pair walked in. Seeing Daryl cuddled up and still heavy eyed had Rick feeling torn about going in. 

“Shane, he doesn’t look okay,” he tried again. 

 

“Rick, I’ve got it,” Shane reassured. “You got your day. It’s my turn now. Don’t go tryin’ to hog him.” His tone was teasing, trying to put the other man at ease enough to leave them on their own. He knew his husband and he needed to realize that Shane was just as capable and nothing horrible was going to happen in his absence.

“Alright,” Rick finally conceded. “Just promise you’ll call if something’s wrong.” 

“You know I will,” Shane told him. 

“Can I have juice,” Daryl piped up from between them. 

Shane smiled and carried Daryl over to the counter. “You sure can, bud,” he told him. He took one of Daryl’s cups from the cupboard. “You want grape or apple today?” 

\-------------------------------

It wasn’t long after Rick left that things took a turn. Daryl had barely touched his food but Shane had chalked that up to a bad night too. His routine had been disrupted. It wouldn't be the first time a change had upset his appetite and Shane decided not to push it. But when Daryl was let loose from his high chair and given free roam of the house he’d stuck close to Shane instead, only leaving his side long enough to retrieve Pupper from his safe place. Daryl stood beside him as he cleaned up, fingers tangled loosely in the hem of his shirt for comfort. Daryl was plenty of things but clingy was not one of them.

“So what do you wanna do, bud?” Daryl was quiet, seeming to mull it over before shrugging. “We can build, color, play animals, what sounds fun?”

There was another silent pause as Daryl thought. He seemed sluggish and heavy, two things that were not Daryl on any other day and Shane was starting to worry himself. “Cartoons,” Daryl finally decided. 

“Alright. We can do that for a little while,” Shane told him. Daryl reached out to him, wanting to be picked up and Shane obliged. He carried Daryl into the living room and paused halfway when Daryl’s forehead pressed against his neck. He was very warm now. Worryingly so and Shane was already dreading Rick’s inevitable “Told you so”. 

“You feel okay, Puppy?” 

Daryl snuggled in closer, clinging and hiding his face against Shane. “Sleepy,” he answered. He seemed to take stock of himself for a moment before reporting again. “Head feels fuzzy.” 

“Do you hurt anywhere,” Shane asked. Daryl nodded.

“Froat’s sore.” 

“Nose feel stuffy?” A no. “Tummy feels okay?” Daryl nodded. Shane hummed thoughtfully. He took Daryl to the couch and lowered him onto it, running his fingers through his boy’s hair. Daryl didn’t seem happy to be on his own and was reaching for Shane again with a noise of protest. “I’ll be right back, bud. I just gotta make a call. You get comfy and watch your show and when I’m finished I’ll join ya.” Daryl didn’t seem all too happy about it but he settled in anyway. Once Shane had his favorite show on and the familiar theme started he seemed less concerned about having Papa with him and focused in on the TV instead. 

With Daryl occupied, Shane went straight for the phone in the kitchen. He checked the list on the fridge, finding the number for their pediatrician and dialing. Someone picked up on the third ring, sounding cheerful and asking how she could direct his call. 

“Yeah, I’m callin’ for Doctor Bob Stookey,” Shane told her, feeling as ridiculous as he always did when saying the name out loud. “Our boy’s runnin’ a fever and I ain’t really sure why.” She asked for Daryl’s information, typing something into the computer and asking follow ups. What’s his temperature? Any other symptoms? Any allergies? Shane answered as best he could and listened to her typing away in the silences.

“Okay. I have your request in the system. If you don’t hear back in twenty minutes, please call back.” Shane nodded and thanked her before hanging up. He took the phone with him to the living room where Daryl was now laid on his side, curled up with his head on a throw pillow. Yes, their boy was decidedly sick though the question of what with was still hanging around. There was only one thing to do with a sick kid. Shane went upstairs and came back with all the spare pillows and blankets they had. 

\----------------------------------

It was as Shane had feared. He would have to take Daryl in for an appointment. Daryl did not like doctors. He didn’t seem to like any sort of professional, really but at the top of that list were doctors. Add to that Rick texting him every thirty minutes with thoughts of leaving work early and Shane was ready to start ripping his hair out.

“Come on, bud. We have to get dressed.”

Daryl burrowed into Shane’s chest where he lay on top of him, the pair having spent the day thus far cuddled on the couch in what was honestly an award worthy nest if you asked Shane. “Nuh uh.”

“We have to, baby,” he coaxed. “We gotta let the doctor look at you so he can help you get better.”

“No,” Daryl pouted. “M’busy.”

Shane snorted. “Doing what exactly?”

Daryl paused, clearly not having an answer. He thought it over for a moment. “I gotta watch Nemo,” he answered.

“And how exactly do you plan to do that when your eyes are glued to my shirt?”

Daryl didn’t answer this time, just whined and tightened his grip in Shane’s shirt. With a sigh, Shane wrapped his arms around Daryl and sat up. There wasn’t a choice in this. There was something wrong and Daryl had to get checked out.

“Daryl, we don’t have any options here. Papa’s gotta take you one way or the other. That means if we don’t get dressed we’re going to the doctor in your jammies.”

Daryl clung to Shane, whining softly. He didn't wanna go anywhere, least of all to the doctor. Why couldn't Papa just stay here and watch movies with him? It's all he wanted to do. He was warm and comfortable here. As comfortable as he could be anyway. 

“Doctor amorrow,” he whined in a last desperate attempt. 

Shane ruffled Daryl's hair, planting a kiss to the top of his head. “Sorry, Puppy. Not an option.” He stood up, taking Daryl with him up the stairs. He sat him on the changing table and tried to pull away to get clothes for their boy but Daryl clung fast. “Hey,” Shane started, cuddling Daryl close to try and calm him down some. “I need your help with somethin’.”

Intrigued by the prospect of getting to help his Papa, Daryl peeked one eye out and listened.

“When we get to the doctor there's gonna be other babies there,” Shane explained. “And they're gonna be scared. But I bet it might help them to see you bein’ brave. Can you do that for me? Can you be Papa's big, brave boy?”

Daryl was hesitant. He was scared of the doctor too, not that he'd ever admit it. But his Papa needed him to be brave. And if Papa needed him then he would try. But…

“You'll go too, right,” he asked softly. “To watch me be brave.” Not because he was scared. Not at all.

Shane smiled, hugging Daryl tighter. “Of course.”

\-----------------------------

The waiting room was crowded today. Seeing little kids, real kids, made his tummy feel funny and he wanted to turn around and run away. He’d take the time out over seeing a doctor for babies. But as they came to the desk, he could see more people. He looked around at them as Shane spoke to the nurse. There were others like him, some looking like there was nothing wrong with them and playing with the other healthy kids on the rug. Some were sitting with their parents looking miserable and one was wrapped in a blanket, curled in her Mama’s lap and seeming particularly fussy between wet sounding coughs. It helped a little to see there were people like him here too but it didn’t lessen his worry about actually seeing the doctor. 

“Come on bud,” Shane half whispered to him, motioning to a pair of free chairs. “They should be out to get us soon.”

Daryl sank in a chair beside Shane, staring down at his feet. The quiet left his mind time to linger on what was about to happen. It wasn’t bad enough that he felt awful. Now he would be poked and prodded at by some guy in a white coat who was stiff and grumpy. They’d stick that stupid thing in his mouth and make him stand on the scale and stick things in his ears. What if he had to get a shot? Daryl hated needles. Or what if they decided his Daddies couldn’t have him no more because they let him get sick?

“You want Pupper, baby?”

Daryl looked to Shane, startled out of his thoughts. The offer of his comfort thing was so tempting it ached and he almost nodded without thinking about it. But he had to be brave. He’d promised Papa he would and brave boys didn’t need blankies. He shook his head, sinking lower in the chair.

“You sure,” Shane asked him. “I think he’s worried about ya. Some cuddles might make him feel better.”

Well...if it was to make Pupper feel better. Daryl reached for the diaper bag with grabby hands and Shane smiled, leaning down to pull the blanket out of the side pouch. “Here ya go, sport.”

Daryl hugged Pupper to him, letting his fingers pet over the satin edge. “S’okay,” he said to the toy in a soft voice. “Just a doctor. ‘N I’m brave.”

There were two people ahead of them, a few others being called through a different door. Papa explained that was a different doctor’s door and that they should be next. That made Daryl’s heart skip a beat and he hugged Pupper tighter, petting him and telling him it was gonna be okay. 

“Daryl?”

He hugged pupper tighter and sunk into his chair when the nurse called his name. Shane stood and held out a hand to him. “Come on, baby. I’ll be right there with ya. Promise.” 

Daryl didn’t want to go. He didn’t want to see the doctor and now that it was moments away, his heart was thumping near painfully. He gave a small whimper, shaking his head. “Hey,” Shane said gently, dropping down in front of Daryl. He laid his hands on Daryl’s legs, rubbing them soothingly. “Papa’s gonna be with ya the whole time, okay? And would I let anyone hurt you?”

Daryl shook his head, watching Shane as he chewed on the corner of Pupper in distress. He knew his daddies would never let anyone do anything to hurt him. “That’s right,” Shane told him, smiling gently at him. “Papa’s job is to keep you safe and make sure you get healthy again.” He pointed to the baby’s chest. “And what’s Daryl’s job?”

“Be brave,” Daryl mumbled from behind the blanket. Shane grinned. 

“That’s right. Now where’s my brave boy?” He tickled Daryl gently, making him giggle a little despite feeling terrible. “There he is. You ready to go back now?”

He wasn’t, really. But then he didn’t think he would ever really be ready. So he nodded and took Shane’s hand, letting his Papa lead him back. The nurse who had waited patiently for them to get themselves sorted held the door open for them both. She led them over to a metal platform that was next to the entrance. 

“Hi, Daryl,” she greeted him. Her voice was gentle and she gestured to it. “Can you step up here for me please?” 

Daryl turned to Shane questioningly and, when his Papa gave him a nod, stepped onto it. It shifted a bit under his feet and he wobbled a moment before Shane steadied him. And then he was just...standing there. There was no further instruction, nothing. Then something beeped and the nurse looked at a display on the wall. “185.3,” she read out, jotting it down on a post it. “Now step down and we can get your temperature.” 

Daryl hated this part especially. His ears had always been sensitive so having anything stuck in them was uncomfortably loud. But he had to be brave. He promised. He squeezed his eyes shut and braced for the noise. Instead, he felt a cool hand brush the hair back from his face and something was stuck onto his forehead. Daryl’s eyes opened in surprise and turned upwards to try and see what it was. 

“Keep still for me,” the woman told him.

“What is it,” he asked.

“It’s a thermometer strip,” Shane told him. “It takes your temperature.”

“No ears,” Daryl asked, pleasantly surprised.

“Nope. Not for this part,” the nurse told him. “But the doctor is probably going to check your ears later.”

Well there went that glimmer of hope. Daryl couldn’t help a slight pout. He didn’t like things in his ears but especially not now. The strip was removed and she checked the reading. “101.8. Definitely a fever but not serious. Let’s take you back to the exam room, shall we?”

They were led back to a room where she entered the information into the computer. There was a little clamp she put on his finger that was supposed to take his pulse and he had to wear that cuff thing. It was uncomfortable when she inflated it and he tried his hardest not to squirm but so far nothing had been terrible. It didn’t hurt and the nurse was never impatient or judgmental when he didn’t know what something was or asked what she was doing. With everything added into the chart and some questions about his symptoms he’d shyly looked to Shane to answer, she left them with the promise the doctor would be in soon.

“You’re doin’ such a good job, bud,” Shane praised. “I’m so proud a you.”

Daryl just shrugged. “Still don’ like it.”

“That’s alright,” Shane told him with an amused smile. “Nobody likes goin’ to the doctor. But it’s somethin’ you gotta do to make sure you stay healthy. The important part is that you’re lettin’ them do their job.”

Daryl huffed, playing idly with Pupper’s ears. He made them flop back and forth on top of the puppy’s head and his knees moved back and forth in time without him realizing it. “Do I gotta get a shot?”

“Can’t make any promises, but I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that today.”

Daryl grunted in acknowledgement, eyes still fixed on Pupper. Shane watched him from his place leaned against the wall. Already, Daryl’s eyes were getting heavy again. He could only hope that wouldn’t lead to a tantrum when the doctor got to examining him. It did seem to make him a little more calm about the whole thing though. 

There was a knock on the door and in came a man with a white coat and a friendly smile. “Hi there,” the man greeted, holding a hand out to Daryl. He looked up at him, clearly confused by him. He hesitantly took his hand and the man shook it. “I’m Doctor Bob and I hear a little boy isn’t feeling so good.”

“M’okay,” Daryl said with a shrug. 

“Not one to complain, are you,” Dr. Bob said. “I know I’d feel pretty yucky if I had a fever and a sore throat like you do. So why don’t we see if we can do somethin’ about that, huh?”

Dr. Bob was a far cry from the few doctors Daryl had seen in his life. He seemed...happy. He was all smiles and he talked to Daryl, not at him. He was hesitant but had to admit he was warming up to the guy. 

“Let’s hop up here where I can see you better, huh big guy?” Daryl obliged, climbing onto the table and hugging Pupper just a little tighter. “Great job. Anything else you’ve noticed, Dad,” Dr. Bob asked, addressing Shane.

“He’s been sleepin’ a lot. Fussier than usual and he’s not eatin’ much.”

“Well if this is you fussy you must be an angel,” Dr. Bob said to Daryl. “Can you open your mouth for me?” Daryl opened wide, letting the doctor look inside and down his throat. “Say Ah.”

Daryl obliged, feeling a little silly about it but Shane gave him a thumbs up from behind Dr. Bob. He didn’t like the popsicle stick in his mouth. It tasted funny and it felt weird on his tongue but it didn’t take long. Dr. Bob hummed, pulling back. “Good job. Now I’m just gonna feel your neck a little bit, okay? Tell me if anything hurts.” Fingers worked along his jaw, pressing in gently. When they reached below his ears, Daryl winced and the man seemed to take notice. “Do your ears hurt when you swallow, big guy?”

Daryl nodded. “Yeah. I thought so. I need to check your ears next.” Daryl gave a soft groan. He absolutely hated things in his ears. “You wanna see my special light,” Dr. Bob asked. Daryl didn’t want it in his ears but he was curious. He nodded. The doctor smiled and went over to the small rack of things on the wall. He pulled one of them off and Daryl didn’t like the looks of it. The end looked pointy. 

“This is my otoscope,” Dr. Bob told him. “It shines a little light in your ear and makes the picture bigger on my side so I can make sure they’re clear and healthy.” Daryl still wasn’t happy about it. He didn’t like things in his ears. Why couldn’t they leave it be. 

“Would you feel better if I showed you?” Daryl shrugged and Dr. Bob waved Shane over. “Come on, Dad. Let’s take a look at yours. Daryl can be my helper.” 

“Sure thing, Doc.” Shane moved over to the table, turning his head for Dr. Bob to put the end in his ear. 

“See that?” Daryl leaned over, looking at the picture that showed up on the back of the tool. “And it doesn’t hurt at all, does it, Dad,” the doctor prompted Shane.

“Not a bit,” Shane agreed. “What do you think, bud? How’s it look in there?”

Daryl wrinkled his nose at the sight. “Hairy.” 

Shane and the doctor laughed and the scope was taken away. He held it up for Daryl’s inspection again. “Can we take a look at yours now?”

Daryl shook his head. “Come on, bud,” Shane prodded gently. 

“Don’t like it,” Daryl complained. Shane hugged him tight, rubbing his back.

“I know, bud. I know you don’t like stuff in your ears but if they’re hurtin’, we gotta check on ‘em. It’ll be real quick. I promise.” 

Daryl whined again and planted his face in Shane’s chest. He felt the thing nudge against his ear and fussed again, trying to squirm away but Shane hugged him tighter, soothing him with a hand in his hair. “I know, baby. I know.” 

It was quick like they had promised and it was a little sore but not terrible. It was the noises that bothered Daryl most and it was still loud. Then they had to do the other ear and Daryl hated every bit of it but he let it happen. “There we go,” Dr. Bob said, taking it the otoscope away and returning it to its holder. “Thank you so much Daryl. You’re doing a great job. Just one more thing I have to check and you’ll be all done with the icky parts, okay?”

“You hear that, bud,” Shane said trying to ease him back but Daryl made a noise of protest and pressed in closer. “Come on, baby. We’re almost done.”

“That’s okay,” the doctor told him. “He can stay put for this one. I just have to listen to your lungs. All I need is for you to take some deep breaths for me. Think you can do that?”

Daryl nodded. He breathed in deep as the man pressed his stethoscope to Daryl’s chest, one side then the other, and then to his back, both sides in turn. 

“Awesome job Daryl,” Dr. Bob praised. “All done now. That wasn’t too bad, huh.” His attention was on Shane again and he took a seat at the computer. “So it looks like a case of Pharyngitis. Nothing serious. It’s a bacterial infection in the throat. The way the nerves connect can cause an earache, especially when you swallow and I didn’t see any signs of an ear infection so that’s a plus.”

He typed something into the computer, long words Daryl couldn’t understand interspersed with normal words that described what Daryl was feeling. “I’m gonna write you a prescription for amoxicillin. He needs to take it for the full two weeks even if he starts to feel better. If you stop using it too soon you take the chance of it coming right back and we don’t want to see that happen, do we?” The last part was directed at Daryl and he shook his head. He didn’t like being sick. “Alright then. You’re a trooper, there Daryl. And you did such a good job you get this,” he pulled a bright red lollipop out of his coat pocket and handed it to Daryl. Wide eyed, he looked from it to his Papa.

“Go on,” Shane encouraged. “You earned it.” 

Daryl reached out and took it, holding the treat with a tiny smile. Maybe the doctor wasn’t so bad after all. “Fank ya.” 

“You’re very welcome. And one more thing. All my good patients get to pick out one of these.” He pulled out a roll of stickers, the shiny, reflective kind with superheroes on them. “So who’s your favorite?” Daryl pointed to the Iron Man one and Dr. Bob tore it off the roll for him. “Good choice. He’s my favorite too.” 

“Thanks for seein’ us so soon, Doc,” Shane said, shaking the man’s hand. 

“No problem at all. Lots of rest, plenty of fluids. If he’s not on a bottle already I’d start one at least until he gets better. Sometimes that makes it easier for them. Feel better soon, Daryl. Come back and see me again sometime.”

The doctor left and it was just Shane and Daryl again. He hugged the boy tight and kissed the top of his head. “I am so proud of you,” he praised. “You were so good and now it’s all done. We just have to pick up your medicine and we can go home and relax the rest of the day.”

“Good,” Daryl said. “Gotta finish Nemo.” Shane laughed and agreed but something told him Daryl wasn’t even going to make the car ride home as the boy yawned. 

\-----------------------------

Shane recognized the stuff as soon as he opened the bag. The bubblegum pink syrup was something he’d had to take many times as a kid and he was glad that it was what they’d given Daryl. Unlike most medicine, this stuff went down like candy and he remembered he and Rick both looking forward to their next dose whenever they had to take it for something or other. It should make getting Daryl to take it much easier than it could have been. 

The drive home from the pharmacy proved to be Daryl’s undoing and Shane had carried the sleeping boy into the house. He laid him in his crib and headed downstairs to get the medicine in the refrigerator as well as making a few other preparations. 

When Rick came in the door he was clearly anxious. His eyes scanned the first floor quickly before taking off his uniform jacket, leaning to peek at the sofa. 

“He’s upstairs,” Shane called to him, giving his husband an amused look. “Poor thing couldn’t make the ride home after all the excitement.” 

Rick sighed, coming into the kitchen and leaning heavily into Shane. “I couldn’t get a thing done all damn day,” he complained. “I told you. I told you he was sick how many times? I shoulda been here.”

“Yeah, yeah. You told me,” Shane acquiesced. He knew it was just Rick’s worry for Daryl talking and he hugged him, patting the back of his head. “But I managed to handle it all by myself. Imagine that. It’s almost like I’m his parent too.”

Rick pulled back and grimaced at the accusation there. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“I know what you meant, Rick. But you gotta let me handle things too. It can’t be on your shoulders all the time. Ain’t fair to any of us.” He leaned back against the counter, arms folded over his chest. “Anyway, you’re here now and the appointment went surprisingly well. Doc says it’s a minor throat infection. We give him an antibiotic twice a day for two weeks and it’ll clear right up.”

Rick sagged in relief. A mild infection. It couldn’t be fun for Daryl but it was much better than it could have been. “How long’s he been down,” he asked. 

“Only about half an hour,” Shane answered. “But I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if Daddy brought him downstairs for some snuggles.”

Shane could read him like a book at this point and Rick didn’t even bother to deny it as he smiled to Shane and headed upstairs. Seeing Daryl curled up in his blankets, Pupper and his vest held tight to him, was a sight for sore eyes. The poor thing was flushed with fever and he looked so tired. He could go right back to sleep, Rick reasoned. He could cuddle up with him on the couch and they could both doze off for a bit. He came to the side of the crib and brushed Daryl’s hair back from his face. The baby slept on and for a moment Rick thought maybe he could move him without waking him at all but on the second pass blue eyes fluttered. 

Daryl looked up at Rick with a half-lidded, half conscious gaze. “Hi, Daddy,” he said softly.

“Hi, baby,” Rick answered, voice just as quiet. “I heard you’re not feelin’ so good. I’m sorry I wasn’t here with you.”

Daryl yawned wide and gathered up his two lovies before sitting up. “S’okay,” he said. “Papa snuggled all morning. And he took me to Doctor Bob. He said I was good and gave me a lollipop and a Iron Man sticker.”

“That’s great,” Rick praised. “I’m so proud of you, bubba.” Daryl had come so far since they’d first brought him home. A doctor would have meant a full on tantrum for sure. It warmed Rick’s heart to know that he felt so safe and secure in their relationship with him that he trusted them with even this. “You wanna go downstairs and lay with me for a bit?”

Daryl nodded and lifted his arms to Rick. He hefted the baby up and onto his hip, pressing a kiss to his hair and heading out of the nursery. “Do I gotta eat dinner,” Daryl asked, just this side of whining. “It hurts.”

“We’ll make you somethin’ easy then. How about that? Some chicken broth should help your throat feel better.” Daryl nodded sleepily against Rick’s shoulder. “Okay. Chicken broth it is, baby,” Rick soothed. Not long after he’d gotten comfortable with Daryl on the sofa, Shane came in from the kitchen, bottle in hand. 

“Doc said it might be easier on him,” he explained when Rick gave him a questioning look. 

“Don’t know if he’s gonna like that.” He looked down at Daryl who was already starting to fall asleep again. 

“I don’t know either but it might be the only way to get somethin’ in him. Worth a shot.” Shane handed the bottle of juice to Rick and Rick turned it over in his hand, inspecting it. It seemed like the kind of thing Daryl would throw a fit about. But like Shane said, it might make it easier for him to drink and that made it worth a shot. He readjusted Daryl carefully against him despite the mumbled protests. 

“Come on, baby. Try and get a little something in you, huh?” He slipped the bottle between Daryl’s parted lips and got no response. He remembered seeing plenty of people feed babies half asleep. It seemed as if just having something in their mouth made them start to do it without even thinking. He kept his fingers crossed and tried wiggling it a bit to get Daryl’s attention. Daryl’s eyebrows raised in surprise though his eyes stayed closed and he latched on instinctively. Rick smiled wide as he watched Daryl start to nurse from the bottle. There were a few times where he’d slip deeper into sleep and Rick would have to give it another wiggle to regain Daryl’s interest but he ended up nearly draining it before he was too far gone to drink anymore. Rick found himself wishing they could do this all the time. Maybe they could get Daryl to try adding this to his bedtime routine. If he truly hated it they wouldn’t push but the closeness of it all made something in Rick warm. 

“He drank that whole thing already,” Shane asked, coming to take the bottle. 

“Just about,” Rick answered. “Must be thirsty between the fever and his throat hurting him. Poor thing.” He was like a furnace where he lay against Rick. He’d been so worried about his little one all day. Having Daryl in his arms now helped settle his nerves and soothe his guilt at not being with their boy for the doctor visit. Shane was right and he knew that. He couldn’t do everything himself and Shane was just as much Daryl’s parent as Rick. It wasn’t fair to monopolize everything. He kissed the baby’s forehead and let himself relax into the cushions. Worrying was exhausting and the steady rise and fall of under his hands as Daryl breathed slow and even started to pull him down too. 

“You two relax for a bit,” Shane said, running his fingers through his husband’s curls and kissing the top of Daryl’s head. “I’ll get somethin’ made for us while you snooze.” He’d gotten to spend the whole first half of the day cuddling their baby after all and he knew how Rick could work himself up. He watched them fondly and covered them with one of the blankets that had fallen from the nest. They were both out already and he took the opportunity to snap a picture on his phone for Mama Grimes.


End file.
